1
as in counterfeits
an imitation that is passed off as genuine
experts declared that one of the museum's prized paintings was actually a fake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frauds
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
a hidden-camera investigation revealed that the so-called psychic was a fake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in forges
to imitate or copy especially in order to deceive
pranksters faked giant footprints and then claimed that they had seen Bigfoot
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in pretends
to present a false appearance of
while running for class president, Dan was not above faking friendship with people just to get their votes
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in devises
to perform, make, or do without preparation
if you give me the gist of the plan, I can probably fake enough for the speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in evades
to elude (an opponent in a sports contest) by making a deceptive or agile movement
the running back faked the defense by stepping to his left and then quickly cutting to the right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fakes
Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Morrisseau’s work, in particular, was the focus of what is believed to be the largest forgery ring of all time, in which several thousand fakes were illegitimately authenticated and sold around the world.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Labubus, which come in blind boxes sold by Pop Mart, were so quickly sold out that a lucrative market for resold Labubus — and even fakes, known as Lafufus — thrived this year.
—Angela Yang, NBC news, 14 Dec. 2025
But not long after a fan Jerry-rigged a tool to get the sneakers down, social media was ablaze with accusations that the designer had given away a pair of fakes, as well as criticism deriding him as a one-trick pony.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Dec. 2025
So what would growth, transparency, trust look like today at Wikipedia given the current penchant for AI slop and the proliferation of social media deep fakes?
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
The prevalence of fakes is on the rise, causing growing concern in the global battery market.
—Andrew Moseman, IEEE Spectrum, 22 Nov. 2025
Late last week, Chris Daughtry became the latest and most vocal musician to call attention to the fakes.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2025
The abundance of facts reverses into fakes.
—Big Think, 16 Nov. 2025
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
Its dialogue and scenes — including one in Katz’s Delicatessen where Ryan fakes an orgasm — continue to permeate pop culture, with Crystal and Ryan reuniting for a Super Bowl commercial based on the scene last year.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 17 Dec. 2025
In Part 3, Assane (Sy) steals the Black Pearl, earns the support of the French public, fakes his own death, and saves his estranged mother’s life.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
Jackson fakes the quarterback run before throwing it to Sparks for a touchdown.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 22 Nov. 2025
However, after a reconciliation and tearful goodbye with Glinda, Elphaba forms a plan to use the rumor that getting wet will kill her to her advantage and—unbeknownst to Glinda—ultimately fakes her own death by allowing Dorothy to throw a bucket a water on her.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
On fourth-and-2 from 48-yard line, Nix fakes pitch to Dobbins and Sutton is open from moment left line of scrimmage because of formation.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Or maybe the trend falters, fakes overwhelm the feel of exclusivity, and newer IPs eclipse it in the fickle pace of Gen‑Z fandom.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Sally fakes the act — loudly, while banging on her table — and brings stares from fellow diners.
—Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
Today, the same fakes can be flagged using AI developed by a company called N2N Services, said Claudia Lee, Golden West College’s vice president of student services.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Morrisseau’s work, in particular, was the focus of what is believed to be the largest forgery ring of all time, in which several thousand fakes were illegitimately authenticated and sold around the world.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Labubus, which come in blind boxes sold by Pop Mart, were so quickly sold out that a lucrative market for resold Labubus — and even fakes, known as Lafufus — thrived this year.
—Angela Yang, NBC news, 14 Dec. 2025
But not long after a fan Jerry-rigged a tool to get the sneakers down, social media was ablaze with accusations that the designer had given away a pair of fakes, as well as criticism deriding him as a one-trick pony.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Dec. 2025
So what would growth, transparency, trust look like today at Wikipedia given the current penchant for AI slop and the proliferation of social media deep fakes?
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
The prevalence of fakes is on the rise, causing growing concern in the global battery market.
—Andrew Moseman, IEEE Spectrum, 22 Nov. 2025
Late last week, Chris Daughtry became the latest and most vocal musician to call attention to the fakes.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2025
The abundance of facts reverses into fakes.
—Big Think, 16 Nov. 2025
Verb
Brunson fakes the swing to the right corner, blows past VJ Edgecombe, gets both feet into the paint, draws two defenders and finds OG Anunoby in the left corner.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
Its dialogue and scenes — including one in Katz’s Delicatessen where Ryan fakes an orgasm — continue to permeate pop culture, with Crystal and Ryan reuniting for a Super Bowl commercial based on the scene last year.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 17 Dec. 2025
In Part 3, Assane (Sy) steals the Black Pearl, earns the support of the French public, fakes his own death, and saves his estranged mother’s life.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
Jackson fakes the quarterback run before throwing it to Sparks for a touchdown.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 22 Nov. 2025
However, after a reconciliation and tearful goodbye with Glinda, Elphaba forms a plan to use the rumor that getting wet will kill her to her advantage and—unbeknownst to Glinda—ultimately fakes her own death by allowing Dorothy to throw a bucket a water on her.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
On fourth-and-2 from 48-yard line, Nix fakes pitch to Dobbins and Sutton is open from moment left line of scrimmage because of formation.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Or maybe the trend falters, fakes overwhelm the feel of exclusivity, and newer IPs eclipse it in the fickle pace of Gen‑Z fandom.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Sally fakes the act — loudly, while banging on her table — and brings stares from fellow diners.
—Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fakes
Noun
-
Do carve out a spot for the Mongkok market, with its colorful juxtaposition of souvenirs, food, fashions — beware of counterfeits, though — with live fish and even birds.—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
24 Nov. 2025
-
Safe handling and charging are indeed crucial, but what’s even more important is trying to keep counterfeits out of the supply chain.—
Andrew Moseman,
IEEE Spectrum,
22 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Satire is brilliant for exposing the folly of humans, especially those in power and those working in bad faith—the hypocrites and the frauds—and can be particularly potent when set in irrational or dystopic times.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Notice how these two Third World frauds are in federal custody, not state.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Thad Cisneros is the chief of the Proud Boys’ Salt Lake City chapter who forges an unusual alliance with a Black Lives Matter activist.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Rain won't stop proceedings as the Tournament of Roses forges ahead with the New Year's Day tradition Thursday — its first wet parade in two decades.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But nobody pretends that number is reliable.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Each night on her ongoing Short n’ Sweet tour Carpenter pretends to arrest a member of the crowd.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Tiffany Bendayan, a chef and baker in Miami, devises different ways to make the table a space where her daughters—Emily and Sofia—feel comfortable sharing just about anything.—
Karen Cicero,
Parents,
21 Dec. 2025
-
Odysseus, the Ithacan warrior who is as celebrated for craftiness as Achilles is for brute strength, devises a clever ruse in which the Greeks place a giant wooden horse outside Troy’s walls and pretend to sail away.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Experts who spoke to Flow Space are hopeful that these new approvals will provide the necessary tools to treat a disease that evades treatment by constantly mutating.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
16 Dec. 2025
-
In the film, Sea-Based X-Band Radar detects a missile flying across the Pacific Ocean toward Chicago that later evades interception.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The Los Angeles Times reported that similar threats in multiple states, including Georgia, were traced to Russian domains and labeled politically disruptive hoaxes.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
18 Nov. 2025
-
In addition to the various homecoming shootings on HBCU campuses, several schools have fallen victim to swatting hoaxes aiming to foster confusion and chaos among the community.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Week 10 kicked off the month with several examples of contenders and pretenders revealing themselves.—
Erick Smith,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Week 9 of the college football season separated some contenders from pretenders.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fakes. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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